By Henrietta Billings - 9th February 2005
A deal can be reached before July on one of the EU most controversial pieces of employment legislation, rules on working time, European Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs Vladimir Spidla has told EUpolitix.com
In an interview with this website, Spidla said he was optimistic about reaching an agreement on the so-called "working Time Direcitve" under the Luxembourg EU presidency.
"I think an agreement could be reached during the Luxemburg presidency," he said.
But Spidla admitted that "difficult" issues such as the UK's opt-out clause remain as the EU's approach to business-friendly legislation climbs the political agenda.
"Some of the issues are difficult, like the opt-out clause, periods of rest, and reference time," he said.
"Some ideological arguments have also been put forward, which should be withdrawn if we are to make progress."
At an employment ministers meeting in December last year, EU presidency efforts to strike a deal on rules allowing an "opt out" of a maximum 48 hour working week failed after national governments were unable to reach an agreement.
Germany, the Netherlands, Britain and the majority of member states backed a compromise package enabling employees to opt-out through collective agreements between unions and employers.
Where collective agreements do not exist, the opt-out would remain on an individual basis subject to the employee's consent.
But a blocking minority made up of France, Belgium, Sweden, Greece and Spain remain fully committed to the permanent phase out of the opt-out, and voted against the proposals.
Spildla also said that he was optimistic about reaching an agreement on the temporary workers directive - EU rules that would give temporary staff the same pay and conditions as permanent workers
"This is also an important directive, clearly linked to the single market. All directives in social affairs are difficult, but the only problem with this one is the transitional period,” he said.
“I think there is a chance we can make progress and reach an agreement."
The most sensitive issue - on the table since June 2003 - remains the qualifying period during which the principle of equal treatment for temps in terms of pay and conditions would apply.
The commission, backed by the EU presidency, had proposed six weeks for the shortest contracts, but MEPs and some member states called for equal treatment to apply from the first day of a temporary contract.
This is disputed by a group of countries led by Ireland, Germany and UK who argue for considerably longer qualifying period of up to a year.
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